


Losing Me, Losing You

by 37054ljH



Category: Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: Angst, Angst galore, Aromantic Reader, Arthur needs a hug, Asexual Reader, Autism, Autistic Reader, Blood and Gore, Character Death, Child Abandonment, Depression, Everyone Has Issues, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Falling Out with Friends, Falling out, Friendship, Gender-neutral Reader, Ghosts, Hurt with no Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Learning Disabilities, Loss of Limbs, M/M, Mental Anguish, Mental Instability, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Multi, No Romance, Possession, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Reader does not handle things well, Reader is a psychic, Reader is worried, Referenced Child Neglect, Supernatural - Freeform, Tags May Change, Trauma, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, implied ot3, neither do the others, still they're trying their best, though it's heavily implied
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 10:23:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21269495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/37054ljH/pseuds/37054ljH
Summary: You have been through a lot with your friends, and yes, while they are flawed in many ways, including yourself, you would do anything to protect them.Even from each other.





	Losing Me, Losing You

“(Y/N), honey, could you take care of the macaroons while I take this order? One of our regulars has asked for a certain dessert, and I have to go get the ingredients for it. My wife’s also busy with cooking and Lewis is busy taking orders right now.”

You looked up from the cake you were in the process of decorating, having just finished up with the roses you had placed in the open part of the delicacy. You stared a moment, before you nodded, setting down the pastry bag.

Mr. Pepper, one of the sweetest men you knew and one of your two bosses, smiled. “Thank you very much dear.” He then walked out, waving to you before closing the door behind him.

You smiled back before hurrying towards the macaroons.

Ah, macaroons.

Out of all the sweets you would make, macaroons were one of your favorites, for there were so many possibilities to explore and create, including flavors, coloring, and decorations. Not to mention whenever you would eat the ones that did not come out whole, they had that perfect chew to them and an accompanying blissful sweetness.

So, eagerly, you got to work on the delicacies, looking at the note Mr. Pepper left behind about what flavor they were to be. So, grabbing the necessary coloring and flavoring, you went at a steady pace, mixing everything together, putting the mixture in a pastry bag, a pan ready, squeezed a right amount of the batch on the thin paper, slammed the pan on the table to get rid of any air bubbles, and placed them in the oven.

Now, all that was left was to make the frosting, and then you would return to finish up the cake you made.

It was the Pepper sisters’ favorite after all.

Though, you prayed that Cayenne wouldn’t try to spike a slice of it with something for one of your friends like she did the last time. You were not happy for the next three hours after learning of this, that was for sure.

Though, Cayenne was a good girl. She may be mischievous, sure, but she was far from malicious.

Her pranks were harmless after all, even if some of her pranks would last for quite awhile.

Still, you hoped that this cake would at least keep her sated for awhile, or, at the very least, the macaroons if there were the ones that burst.

Well, now all you had to do was wait until Mr. Pepper, or Mrs. Pepper or Lewis, came back so you could get started on the next part of your job.

~~~

“Hey you! You a server? I’m ready to order!”

...Huh?

You looked around from what you were doing, your earplugs protecting your ears from the sounds of the busy restaurant and talking customers, and spotted a woman looking and waving at you. She was a fancy-looking dress, black bracelets, and the matching heels. Even though you were nowhere near her, you could smell her choking perfume where you stood, as well as the aromas her friends seemed to be wearing too. They too were dressed fancy, and, like the woman calling out to you, their hair was straightened and gelled.

Why people felt the need to add gel to their hair, you’ll never know. It looked like a pain to get out, and would take too much time.

“Hey! We’re ready to order!” the woman called out to you again, making you flinch.

“Uh, ma’am,” you began, trying not to stutter as you began to panic. Crap, what were you supposed to do in this situation? “I’m not a server.”

Please let it be, please let it be, please let it be.

The woman raised an eyebrow at you, while her friends began to chuckle behind their hands. “You’re wearing a server’s uniform,” said the woman, like that was supposed to mean something. “Only the waiters here wear that type of uniform.”

You blinked, immediately knowing this woman must not be from around here if she didn’t recognize that everyone working for Pepper Paradiso, whether they be the servers, the cooks, or even the janitors, would always wear the same uniform.

However, this knowledge did nothing to comfort you.

“M-Ma’am,” you began again, praying that the person who did serve these women would come back, “I assure you...I’m not a server. I-I’m just one of the bakers.”

“Even bakers can be servers sweetheart.”

“N-No, they can’t--”

“We’re ready to order. Are you going to keep wasting our time?” Even though you didn’t know what expression she was wearing, you could tell that she was growing impatient with you.

Oh no…

Please no.

You could feel the panic coming along, and suddenly you felt the need to start picking at your skin in response to the unbearable inch that came along. Your hands were also starting to feel clammy and the room began to feel too hot, hotter than even the kitchen if that were possible.

What do you do?

How the hell were you supposed to handle this?

What the hell were you supposed to _do_?

“Oh my god,” hissed the woman, standing up now. “Just take our order you stupid twit.”

“M-Ma’am, I-I’m not a waiter!” you protested.

Why was that so hard for her to understand?!

The woman was getting too close for comfort, and, subconsciously, you began to back away, holding up your hands to create some distance. Your eyes were beginning to burn, making your vision become blurry, and you suddenly found it difficult to breathe despite how fast your chest was moving.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” demanded the woman, and despite your earplugs, your ears rang. “Is this what they call friendly service here?!”

“Please…” you pleaded, “leave me alone.” Your voice sounded weak, again even with your earplugs.

“Fire them!” the woman yelled, pointing at you. “Someone needs to fire them right this instant!”

Oh god, no, please no…

Your panic was becoming too much, and you were about to lose it when you heard,

“What’s going on here?”

You looked up, seeing a familiar tall figure with purple hair, the matching eyes, and tan skin walk towards you. You could’ve cried when you saw him, the relief more overpowering than the panic, and you almost collapsed to your knees.

Lewis Pepper stopped next to you, keeping a respectful distance. “Is something the matter here ladies?” he asked.

“Yes,” hissed the woman, throwing a finger in your direction. “Your server is not doing their job.”

Lewis raised an eyebrow, looking between you and the woman. “Ma’am,” he began, “they are not a server.”

The woman’s face changed, and somehow she looked uglier with it on. “Huh?! Don’t be ridiculous! They’re wearing the same uniform as you!”

“Yes, they are,” said Lewis patiently, “but that doesn’t mean they’re a server.”

“Huh?!”

Lewis turned to you at this point. “Were you serving them?” he asked.

Shakily, you shook your head. “N-No,” you said. “I was going to take the trash out like I always do at this time, but…” You couldn’t finish.

Lewis nodded, then turned back to the woman. “What is the name of your server ma’am?”

“What does that matter--”

“What is the name of the person who was supposed to serve you?” Despite the patient tone, you heard the firmness in your friend’s voice, and even though it wasn’t directed at you, you still found yourself taking a step back.

The woman was silent a moment before she answered. “Lewis.”

“And that is me,” Lewis said.

“...What.”

You immediately took that as your cue to leave, quickly grabbing the trash bag you were about to throw and immediately heading out the back. Lewis was much, much better at this than you were, and you would only make things worse if you stayed there.

Right?

~~~

You ended up staying outside, even after your shift ended.

It was a bad habit you had whenever something stressful came up. You would be unable to focus on anything besides the cause of your stress, much less even go anywhere else, which was why you were still here at Pepper Paradiso.

You sat against the side of the building, wishing the earth would crack open and swallow you whole.

All you could think of was, _This is all your fault. This is all your fault. This is all your fault._

Why did this have to happen?

How were they able to do it?

Why did those kinds of jobs even exist?

You wanted to go home, but you were afraid to move from your spot. Your chest felt heavy, like some invisible weight was placed on it, preventing you from moving or getting your emotions under control. It was something you were all too familiar with, and you hated it.

You really wanted the earth to eat you right about now.

“(Y/N)?”

You gasped, your heart jumping from your chest. Immediately you shot to your feet, spinning around to face the owner of the voice calling your name. You stared, wide-eyed, even when you realized that it was just another of your good friends.

Arthur Kingsmen. The mechanic who had one terrifying uncle, despite the latter’s short stature, and with spiked blonde hair with his sideburns possessing orange stripes and a stubborn lock of dark hair protruding upwards. Right now, he was wearing his oil-stained coveralls, meaning that he must’ve got off work not too long ago.

That was Arthur for you, forgetting to change even when he got off work.

Not that you were any better.

“Whoa, it’s okay (Y/N), it’s just me.” Arthur held out his hands in front of him, almost like he was approaching a cornered animal. You never liked it when he would use it with you, but it never mattered. “Are you okay?”

You continued to stare, unable to respond. Arthur continued to slowly approach you, hands positioned in front of him, until finally he was about arms-length away from you.

Even then, you didn’t say a word, sliding down the wall and bringing your knees to your chest, where you then proceeded to wrap your arms around and place your chin on top of your knees. You didn’t bother looking at Arthur anymore, not even when you heard him slide down to sit next to you, still keeping a respectful distance.

You suppressed the urge to sigh.

The both of you were silent for a little bit, doing nothing except sitting, but now, you were waiting, suddenly feeling anxious again.

Oh god, was he going to scold you? He never scolded you unless you both know you did something dreadfully wrong, and the only sign of that was if he went deadly quiet for a bit.

Vivi, your other friend, would always cross her arms whenever she was displeased with you, and the same applied to Lewis. Out of all of them though, Arthur’s way of showing it scared you the most.

“What happened?”

You could’ve cried in relief when you heard Arthur speak, breaking the heavy silence between you two. Though, it didn’t take long for that relief to disappear as it appeared.

You glanced at him either way.

“Did something happen today?” Arthur’s voice was so full of concern, and suddenly you wanted to scoot closer to him and hug him, something you rarely did unless you felt it was necessary or you yourself wanted them. It caused your heart to ache for a whole new reason now.

You looked to the “Employee’s Only” door, sighing mutely. “Customer,” you whispered, unable to speak any higher.

Luckily it was loud enough for Arthur to hear, for he spoke again. “Oh.”

Oh? That was all?

But Arthur continued speaking.

“And...what did they do?”

Oh great. Why did you have to ask that Arthur?

Either way, that didn’t stop your mouth from moving. You spoke very little of course, but it was enough to sum up the encounter with that lady. All the while, Arthur listened quietly but attentively, not saying a word long after you finished speaking.

When you looked at him again, he was smiling, but it felt...sad, angry even.

But it didn’t feel like it was directed at you, which you were relieved about somewhat.

Arthur sighed, and you tensed. “I’m not going to tell you what you should or shouldn’t have done (N/N), as that kind of thing is hard for you to do, but you really scared Lewis and the others when you just ran off like that.”

You flinched, a new type of guilt hitting you, almost like a punch. You scared Lewis? W--How could you have scared him?

It didn’t feel right.

Arthur must’ve noticed your expression, for he continued. “They didn’t want to overwhelm you further, so no one went after you for awhile. But then, you didn’t come back for the rest of your shift, something you don’t usually do, and that finally caused everyone to be scared. I see they should’ve checked here first. This place is quieter for you.”

You stayed silent. Arthur was right, this place was quiet, the kind of quiet you enjoyed, which brought you comfort. It was one of the reasons why you found yourself unable to go back to work even when you knew those women left; your legs, or rather your entire body didn’t want to comply.

And because of that, you couldn’t return to work.

“I’m sorry…” you mumbled, unable to speak any higher. You would really appreciate it if the earth would crack open now.

Arthur shook his head. “Don’t be,” he said, standing up and brushing off dust from his pants. He then held a hand out to you, which you eyed questioningly. “We should go inside now. I mean it (Y/N), everyone’s been really worried about you.”

You stared again for what felt like minutes, when it could’ve only been seconds. However, mentally slapping yourself, you took Arthur’s sleeve and allowed him to help you to your feet, soon dusting any bits of the ground off of your own pants, though you were wincing at the uncomfortable feeling the action left behind. You immediately made a quick note to wash your hands when you got inside.

And, after taking a deep breath, you allowed Arthur to lead you back inside through the Employee’s Only entrance, even though he wasn’t an employee. The thought almost made you snort, if not burst out laughing outright.

Though, after all this, you really needed that laugh.

~~~

“(Y/N)!” You heard the sound of a familiar woman screaming while you were out quietly doing your grocery shopping. As soon as you heard her voice, you stopped what you doing, dreading what was to come as her voice got louder and louder the closer she got.

Then, predictably, a blur of blue collided with you, sweeping you off your feet as she wrapped her arms around you. You squeaked, hanging onto your groceries for dear life as you felt the prickly and uncomfortable sensation of someone touching you, despite this being someone you know and trust. Then, her unnatural strength began to crush you, and, faintly, you thought you heard a bone pop.

It was not a good feeling.

“Vi--Vivi--!” you squeaked, the high-pitch the result of not having your precious air. “C-Can’t...breathe…!”

The female flinched, then quickly dropped you. “Oops! Heh heh, sorry (Y/N).”

While you were sharply inhaling and choking on your denied air, you scanned your new companion, recognizing that blue hair, that blue headband, those blue eyes, that blue sweater, those blue stockings, those blue slightly-heeled shoes, and those magenta glasses anywhere. At the moment, she was rubbing the back of her head in a nervous manner, giving you what felt like a nervous, apologetic smile.

Once you regained your breath, you gave Vivi Yukino, one of your three friends, what you hoped was an unimpressed look. “I thought I told you to ask me next time you gave me a hug Vivi,” you commented. “You know I don’t like hugs as much as the rest of you do.”

“I know,” mumbled Vivi, “I just got too excited.”

“When are you not excited?”

“Hey!”

You held up your hands in surrender. “It’s true. Now, what’s got you so worked up this morning?”

Almost instantly, Vivi’s entire form seemed to light up. “I found a new case!” she exclaimed, being mindful of your sensitive ears, despite the fact that there were earplugs in them. “And it’s not too far from here either!”

You raised an eyebrow. “Really?” you asked. You knew Vivi’s obsession with the paranormal was over-the-top, but sometimes, somehow, your friend could take it to new heights. “And…?”

Vivi frowned, looking hard at you. “What do you mean “and”?” she asked, her voice full of disbelief. “I thought you would like this one!”

“Vivi,” you began, “I’m not going to beat around the bush here, but sometimes, or rather, _every time_ we go on a new case, you always run head-first into them without considering the dangers. And the last time you did that, you almost got my ass injured.”

Vivi flinched, then went back to chuckling nervously. “I said I was sorry!”

“Uh-huh.”

You were never really fond of the paranormal, well, not as much as Arthur didn’t, but still. Though, that wasn’t to say that you didn’t believe in it, because every case you went on with your friends was proof they did. Still, you always felt that Arthur was some kind of magnet for the paranormal--no, scratch that, all supernatural creatures in general, and as to why, you couldn’t figure it out for the life of you. Maybe it had to do with that one time he was captured by a cult and his soul was removed from his body.

You mentally shook your head. You did not want to remember that, the way Arthur’s body lay crumpled on the floor, how lifeless and wide his eyes were, and how Mystery, your team mascot, had to point to a crystal nearby, which contained Arthur’s soul.

And after that…

A soft bark got your attention, and you looked down to see said mascot looking up at you, his white and red fur sticking out like a sore thumb, but not as much as the yellow glasses on his nose. His tail was wagging, and he was staring intently at you, which meant only one thing.

You smiled, slowly kneeling in front of Mystery, and proceeded to run your fingers through his fur.

“Who’s a good dog Mystery?” you cooed, setting down your groceries so you could run both hands through the dog’s fur. “Who is it? Who’s a good dog?”

Mystery let out a multitude of puppyish whines as he leaned into your hands, his tail wagging like crazy as you continued to pet him. Your smile couldn’t have gotten any bigger at this point, ‘cause like, come on, this dog was so damn cute!

You heard Vivi laugh above you, and you looked up, finding her looking down at you and Mystery with her hands on her hips. Your smile toned down, but didn’t disappear as you continued to pet Mystery.

“So,” you began awkwardly, looking back to the dog, “how are you guys doing?”

_Please don’t think into it, please don’t call me out._

Vivi’s stance relaxed, but her smile got bigger, somehow. “You know how Lewis and I went on another date last night?”

You paused in your petting, looking up at Vivi with a raised eyebrow. “Yes?”

You almost gasped when you saw Vivi’s smile gone, and she was kneeling next to you, moving to pet Mystery herself, but you could tell that it wasn’t with a happy vigor like yours was. You stared at her, immediately concerned.

“Vivi?” you called. “What’s wrong?”

Vivi chuckled, but unlike the ones before, this one was watery, coming from a lump in the throat. By now you stopped petting Mystery, not that the dog noticed, because he had turned his attention to his owner, probably just as concerned as you were.

“(Y/N),” she began, then she sighed, shaking her head. She looked back up at you. “Lewis and I have been talking, and...it’s just...we noticed that Arthur has been getting distant from us.”

You frowned, immediately understanding what she was talking about. Now, you may not be the brightest bulb when it comes to reading facial expressions and body language, but you knew a shattering relationship when you see one. When Lewis and Vivi got together, you were happy for them, you really were. You had been waiting for them to get together for so long now that you wondered if they would spend the next few years denying their feelings for each other, and when they got together, you could’ve cheered.

However, it was also there where you noticed Arthur changing, and not necessarily for the better. Not only that, but you would have to be a complete idiot to not know the reasons behind that.

Lewis and Vivi...they had went on like they forgot about Arthur’s friendship with them, forgot about your friendship with them even. Of course, it didn’t hit you as hard as it did Arthur, because you did not feel the same feelings that Arthur did for the both of them.

Again, you couldn’t read facial expressions to save yourself, but you knew, from the way Arthur talked about them, how he would talk to himself when he thought he was alone, and so many others you couldn’t list, that he loved them.

He was in love with _both_ Lewis and Vivi.

And they...were going on like they had forgotten about Arthur. When you learned of this, never had your anger towards your friends been so great. Arthur did not have the best upbringing; hell, almost everyone in town knew this, and Tempo was a small town compared to other towns. With his parents neglecting him and their nasty divorce, his bullying as he reached middle school, and his anxiety and abandonment issues as a result, you knew he deserved all the happiness in the world, so you supported his feelings all the way, even if you didn’t tell him that you knew.

But...Lewis and Vivi…

Even when you didn’t feel any romantic love for them, or any other kind of sexual attraction to them, you were hurting for Arthur.

You wanted to help him so badly, but how can you help someone who firmly believes that he doesn’t need help?

So why was Vivi…?

“Vivi?” you questioned. “What’s going on?”

Vivi stared at you, her mouth opening and closing, and her eyes darting all over the place, looking at anything but you. Your heart began to pound against your chest, and your skin began to feel clammy as a result of the worst of scenarios filling your mind.

“Vivi, what’s wrong?” you asked again, your fear apparent. “Did you and Lewis have a fight? Are”--You hissed through teeth--“Are you breaking up?”

Vivi recoiled, like you just punched her. Hell, her skin somehow looked paler than before, and that was saying something. “N-No, of course not!” she yelled, briefly drawing the attention of the people in the aisle with you. The both of you stayed silent for several minutes until the people went back to what they were doing before until Vivi spoke up again. “No, it’s not like that.”

“Then what is it?” you questioned, your voice now a whisper, a harsh whisper at that. “What does this have to do with Arthur?”

“Everything,” Vivi whispered back, regret in her voice. She looked back up at you, her gaze burning a hole through you. “(Y/N),” she sighed again, “do you promise not to laugh at me?”

You didn’t answer a moment, then, “That depends on what it is,” you said.

Vivi’s chuckle was bitter this time. “Should’ve known,” she said, sighing again. “The thing is, Lewis and I do love each other with all our hearts, but…” She smiled what felt to be a sad smile. “We both...love Arthur too. We want him to join us in our relationship.”

You thought your heart skipped a beat, and you stared at Vivi, speechless. Were...were you hearing things? Was Vivi serious?

Vivi must’ve seen this, because this time a sob escaped her lips. “It’s wrong, that’s what you’re going to say?” she asked. “You’re going to say that not more than two people should be in a romantic relationship, aren’t you?”

You snarled, taking Vivi by surprise. “How dare you…” you growled, shooting to your feet. “I was not going to do such thing!” By now, you didn’t care if there were people watching you, you were too angry for that. “If you really cared about Arthur, you would’ve noticed how much your actions were hurting him sooner!”

“Wh--(Y/N)?” Vivi questioned, her voice stunned and hurt. “What are you talking about?”

“I think you know exactly what I’m talking about Vivi,” you said, still seething. “After all, did you notice the hole that Arthur left behind, the hole both you and Lewis left behind in him?”

Vivi stared, unable to speak.

Mystery whined against your leg, but, for once, you paid him no mind.

“I’m not the one you should be having this conversation with Vivi,” you continued, sweeping up your groceries. “Arthur should be the one hearing this, and yet, here you are, talking to me, and I’m not Arthur.”

You then walked away without another word, ignoring the looks of the other customers as you paid for your items and left. All the while, you were still seething.

How dare she…

How dare Vivi play with Arthur’s feelings!

How dare Lewis play with Arthur’s feelings!

You were not the one who should hear those words. Arthur needed to hear them, and if Vivi and Lewis truly wanted him to join their relationship without any problems, they needed to talk to him, and make sure they clear up any misunderstandings, especially if they want it to work.

Arthur needed this, you didn’t. Maybe it would’ve been better if you had been angry with your two friends for the earlier reason, because now your anger towards the both of them had only gotten worse.

~~~

In the end, you decided to go with the Mystery Skulls to investigate the cave that Vivi briefly told you about in the grocery store.

All the while, you barely talked to either Vivi or Lewis, focusing on going to work, getting home, doing your usual routine at home, and all else. Of course, you still talked to Arthur and with Mystery, but you refused to speak to your other two friends. You couldn’t talk to them, not when you were still in your current mood.

You didn’t want to say anymore hurtful words to either of them, no matter how much you wanted to say them.

And Arthur noticed, damn his observance.

“(Y/N)?” he questioned, concerned. “Are you okay?”

You looked at him, cursing at yourself for being so easy to read. “Hm?”

“You’ve been really quiet these last few days, not to mention you’ve been avoiding Vivi and Lewis for quite some time.”

You didn’t say a word for a moment. “You’re...in love with them, aren’t you Arthur?”

Arthur jumped away from you, like you punched him. “H-Huh?!” Shakily, he held up his hands. “O-Of course not, (Y/N)! W-Why would I--”

“It’s not that hard to see,” you said, suddenly exhausted. “You’re in love with them.”

Arthur went silent, staring at you with wide eyes. You looked at his hands, wishing him to say something, anything, because you did not want to be the one to start this difficult discussion.

But, of course, you traitorous mouth moved.

“You should talk to them Arthur. They really need to hear them.”

Arthur flinched again. “I-I can’t!” he cried, his voice watery and shaky. “They’ll be disgusted, people are not supposed to be in love with more than one person! That’s not how relationships work!”

“And who said that?” you asked calmly, despite your own shaking. Arthur’s emotions were really rubbing off on you.

“Everyone!” Arthur cried again, tears streaming down his cheeks. “People are disgusted with these kinds of relationships! Hell, even Vivi and Lewis said that!”

Sadly, you knew exactly what he was talking about. Before the two got together, you had been visiting your friends for a sleepover. As bedtime approached, Lewis had proposed watching a romance movie, and being that Lewis did pick out good movies, you all allowed this, though you did make it clear that you would probably go to sleep through the movie. Lewis, of course, had pouted, but knew nothing would drive you away from your routine, and did not dare to change it else he wanted a meltdown on his hands.

The movie had been about three friends, two boys and one girl, and both boys had been in love with the girl, aiming for her heart as they got older. They were both amazing characters as was the girl, but despite how much she loved them both, she had to choose one of them, leaving the other heartbroken and in the dust. Unfortunately, that was what happened, and at the end of the movie, you were depressed for several days, and the last thing you remembered before you went to sleep that night were Vivi and Lewis’ words.

_“It must be difficult, loving more than one person.”_

_“I hope that never happens to us.”_

You clenched your teeth when you thought back to Vivi’s words at the supermarket. So much for not wanting it to happen, huh Vivi?

And now, Arthur was paying the price.

“It’s not wrong Arthur,” you said, forcing your anger down. “There’s nothing wrong with loving more than one person that way. If anything, I’d say your heart’s too big for one person, and that’s not a bad thing.”

“But--”

“Stop it Arthur,” you said. “You all are being ridiculous! Look, if you don’t talk about this, bad things are going to happen, and I don’t want that to happen to you, do you hear me?”

Arthur went silent, stunned. “(Y/N)...”

“Enough Arthur,” you said, standing up. You needed to get out of here. “It’s already hard being around Vivi and Lewis, I don’t want you to join them, I really don’t.”

You walked away without another word.

Now, you were waiting for something to happen while you were all heading towards your destination.

You immediately hated the atmosphere of the car the second you set out. Lewis, Vivi, and even Mystery were going on like nothing was wrong in the front seat, like Vivi had not told you about her and Lewis’ feelings for Arthur. Of course, Arthur had not bothered to sit in front, instead staying in the back with you, where he was staring at the pair with what felt like sadness. It rolled off him in waves, and you found yourself staring at him with a sadness of your own.

He was trying to distance himself from them, and, sad thing was, Vivi and Lewis were allowing it.

Why, after all this time, did this have to happen?

Why did they all allow this to happen?

Lewis and Vivi were even kissing in the front while Lewis was driving, to which you cringed in disgust. Your teeth began to clench and unclench, feeling Arthur’s sadness worsen, but no one else noticed. How? How could they just smile like nothing was wrong? Why were they not talking about this?!

You hated this.

You hated this so much.

Then, Arthur fell asleep in your lap.

You flinched when you felt his head hit your lap, but upon seeing your mechanic friend sound asleep, something he wasn’t known to do very often, prevented you from waking him up. Instead, you hesitantly rested a hand on his head, running your fingers through his blonde locks. He didn’t even stir.

Feeling eyes on you, you glanced up, finding Lewis looking at you. You raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to speak, but he didn’t.

“Is something wrong Lewis?” you asked, your voice leaking hostility, but it was low so as to not wake Arthur.

Lewis flinched, not expecting the tone in your voice. Vivi snapped around to look at you.

“What the hell (Y/N)?” she hissed with a whisper. “What’s with the attitude?”

You glared at her. “Why do you think Sherlock?” you asked. “Neither of you have talked to Arthur, have you?”

Lewis and Vivi were silent, and you could feel Mystery looking between you three with what felt like concern and worry.

You hissed through your teeth. “Oh. My. God, you all are so fucking hopeless!” You kept your voice low, still not wanting Arthur to wake. “Do I really have to do everything for you?”

The pair still didn’t say a word.

You continued to glare at them. “Nevermind,” you sighed. “We’re done talking.”

Lewis and Vivi looked like they wanted to speak more, but you were no longer looking at them at this point, focusing now on making sure Arthur was as comfortable as possible. Eventually, to your relief, they joined the silence, and the van was tense for the rest of the ride.

You couldn’t be any more happy when you finally arrived at your destination.

You quickly shook Arthur, and he groaned.

“Wake up Arthur,” you whispered. “We’re here.”

Arthur’s amber and gold-rimmed eyes slowly opened, and he looked up at you, blinked, then slowly sat up. You smiled at him, despite yourself.

“Already?” he whispered tiredly. “Wow, I felt like I only slept for a second.”

You chuckled. “Yeah, it sure feels that way sometimes.”

You both got out of the orange van, and immediately froze.

Green.

There was so much green.

_Why was there so much green?_

And...there was something wrong. Horribly wrong.

Arthur shook right next to you, and you didn’t need to look at him to know that he was looking at the place with fear. “D--” He almost choked on his own breath. “Do we really have to go in? I don’t like this place.”

Lewis and Vivi turned to face him, smiles on their faces. “Come on Artie,” Vivi began cheerfully, “there’s nothing to worry about! You’re just overreacting.”

“I’m not overreacting!” Arthur protested. “I really don’t like this place!”

You wanted to say so too, but the cave you were called to investigate was too distracting, too...evil. It was like it was robbing you of your ability to speak.

“You say that about every place we go to Artie!” Vivi finished her sentence with an eye smile. “This shouldn’t be any different!”

“It’s a _cave_!” Arthur protested again. “Caves always mean something bad is going to happen!”

“Both of you, _enough!_” Lewis’ booming voice made you all jump, and you stared at him and he exhaled a deep breath. “Arthur, please, it’s really nothing to worry about. You’ll be fine, okay? So please, stop and let’s get this over with.”

You stared at Lewis in disbelief. Was he serious? Did he not sense the evil of this place? Why wasn’t he listening to Arthur, someone who was often the victim of kidnapping and possessions, more often than you were?

Everyone in this group should know that!

So why the hell--

But everyone was already heading into the cave.

Jumping, you quickly followed after them. You wanted to scream at everyone to stop, to listen to Arthur, to demand that you all leave before something bad would undoubtedly happen, but still, for whatever reason, your voice would not work. In fact, whenever you did try to speak, your voice would not come forth, no matter how hard you willed it.

What the hell was wrong with this place?!

Why wouldn’t anyone listen?!

Still, you followed them in the cave, unable to do anything else when your own friends were involved.

Lewis had long since lit a torch, and the light of the fire lit up the green-hued cave, including all of you. Vivi was looking around with what felt like curiosity, Lewis felt like he was in awe, Arthur looked understandably afraid if the way he was clinging to Lewis’ shoulders were anything to go by, and Mystery...he felt off.

Did he know too?

You walked further into the cave, no one saying a word, until you came across a split in the paths.

You found yourself freezing at this.

“Okay,” Vivi began slowly, “looks like we’re going to have to split up.”

Your eyes shot to Vivi. Was she being serious right now?

You then looked towards Arthur, finding that he was leaning towards Mystery, and immediately understood. He wanted to go with you and/or Mystery, while Lewis and Vivi went another path. You resisted the urge to groan.

God damn it Arthur, now is not the time!

But then--

“Hey Artie, let’s go this way,” Lewis announced, pointing to the left tunnel. Arthur jumped, staring at Lewis with wide eyes and an open mouth, unable to say a word. Lewis raised an eyebrow at his behavior, but ultimately didn’t say a word.

On the other hand, Vivi beamed. “That’s a great idea!” she stated, clapping her hands together before looking at you. “Come on (N/N), Mystery, let’s go this way!”

She then started walking to the right tunnel, Mystery not too far behind her. You hesitated, looking at Arthur for a brief moment before you began to walk after Vivi.

By the time you caught up with Vivi, you froze once more at what you saw, or rather, what you didn’t see.

Where was Mystery?

“Wow!” Vivi yelled, bouncing in place with glee. “This place sure is creepy!”

Your entire body began to feel heavy, colder, and yet lighter and too, too warm. Your breathing began to pick up its pace, and pain shot through your entire body, pain that was not your own.

Please, no…

No…

No...Artie…

_Arthur!_

Immediately you understood, and your heart stopped for many moments as you saw green slowly infect Arthur’s left arm, with him not doing anything about it due to not knowing the spirit’s intent. Then, Arthur’s left eye began to turn a forest green on a black sclera, and by then it was too late. Lewis was in front of him, and it would be so easy to just..._push him_.

**_“Come on, you know you want to do it,”_**came a voice so evil, so cold, that fear shot through you. **_“He doesn’t really care about you, you know. After all, when did they ever see how you felt about them? Do you really think they would care? Your feelings for them are disgusting! You should just push him, it’ll be so easy. Just one little push…”_**

No, stop it.

Get out of him.

Arthur, _no!_

“(N/N)?” you barely heard Vivi’s voice, so full of concern. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?!”

You barely realized that you were on your knees at this point, forced to watch as Arthur was forced to push Lewis off, forced to listen to Lewis’ screams as he fell to his doom, his body impaled by a stalagmite, blood shooting everywhere. Then, you were forced to listen to Vivi’s screams as she watched it all happen, as a dying wish hit her, knocking her unconscious, and forced to watch as a kitsune that looked so much like Mystery sink its teeth into Arthur’s possessed arm and rip it from his body, blood shooting everywhere and Arthur looking at Mystery with pained confusion before passing out.

“Ar...tie...!” you choked, tears spilling from your eyes as you grasped at your neck, now realizing that you couldn’t breathe. “Plea...se...get o-out...of him! No…!”

Hands were grasping your wrists, trying to pull your hands from your neck, skin so rough it was scratching your own.

_“.../N)!”_ cried a female voice. _“Sn...p out...f it! What’s….ong?!”_

“Artie…” you moaned, feeling your consciousness fading. “Sa...ve...him…”

That was all you got until your consciousness finally faded from you.

~~~

The smell of chemicals assaulted your nose first, causing you to gag. Then, you realized that a mask was over your nose and mouth, and the room was too bright.

You groaned, trying to roll over. Did Vivi fucking pull another joke on you while you were asleep? She better not, or you were going to choke her--

What is that sound?

It was rhythmic, a beeping sound that was so annoying, and you then realized that something unnatural was in your arm. You groaned again, struggling to open your eyes.

Ow…!

Who turned on the fucking lights?!

“Doctor!” a voice called from one side of the room. “They’re awake!”

Huh? Doctor? What the hell?

You placed your suddenly heavy arm over your eyes, which helped to dim the light a bit, allowing you to open your eyes peacefully. Even when your eyes tried to adjust, the lights were still too fucking bright.

_Why did people think it was a good idea to have blinding lights?!_

Footsteps were heard from the other side of the room, and you glanced that way, seeing a woman in a white lab coat approach you.

God damn it!

“Hello Mr/Miss (L/N),” greeted the woman. “How are you feeling?”

“Turn...off the lights,” you pleaded. “Too...bright…”

The woman left your sight a moment and, by mercy, the lights were dimmed, allowing your eyes to relax and for you to pull your arm away from your face. Shortly after, the woman returned to your line of sight.

“Who...are you?” you asked then. “Where am I?”

“You are in a hospital Mr/Miss (L/N),” replied the woman. “And I am Doctor Linda Ferrison.”

“W--” You stared at Dr. Ferrison incredulously, or what you thought was an incredulous expression. “What am I doing in a hospital?”

“Do you not remember anything?”

“Huh?” you asked. “What do I remem--”

Oh. Oh _no…_

No, no, no, no, no, no! NO!

“Lewis! Vivi! Arthur! Mystery!” You shot up from bed, startling the doctor. “Where are my friends?! Are they alright?!”

“Mr/Miss (L/N), you must calm do--”

“Tell me! What’s happened to them? Are they alright?! Tell me, please!”

Your expression must’ve got to the doctor, for Dr. Ferrison sighed. “Miss Yukino and Mr. Kingsmen are alright. So is the dog you call Mystery.”

“And...Lewis…?” you asked weakly.

Please, don’t let it be true, please, please, _please_.

Dr. Ferrison didn’t say another word, and proceeded to walk out the door.

“Hey, wai--”

“I will let Miss Yukino know that you’re awake. Then, you can go visit Mr. Kingsmen.”

“But what about--” But the doctor shut the door to your room without another word, leaving you alone.

You stared, placing a hand over your mouth as the memories hit you. Oh god…

_Please, you have to be screwing with me_, you pleaded. _Please, don’t you dare do this to me! Don’t you fucking dare! Please--_

The door opened again, and before you could catch up, a blur of blue barreled into you, arms wrapping around your frame and crushing you.

What the fucking--

“(Y/N)!” cried Vivi, hugging you tightly against her. “Oh thank god, you’re okay! Oh thank god!”

What…?

You choked. “Vi--!” you wheezed. “I...can’t...breathe!”

Vivi flinched, immediately loosening her hold, but still keeping you in her embrace. “Oh my god,” she whispered against your shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re okay…! Don’t you ever scare me like that again!”

You didn’t hug Vivi back, too confused on what she was saying, but Vivi didn’t seem to care at this point, as she then pulled away from you after a couple of minutes. Her face was caked with tears, and her eyes were red-rimmed, her body shaking.

“Vivi…” you began slowly, “w-what’s happened…? Where’s Arthur…?”

Vivi choked again, and went back to hugging you, then proceeded to lift you up like a fucking princess.

“Vi--?!” you stared at her in surprise. “What are you--”

“I’m taking you to see Arthur,” she stated, placing you in a nearby wheelchair and grabbing your IV pump. “After this, I’m not letting either of you out of my sight for awhile.”

Despite your confusion, your voice would no longer work as Vivi pushed your wheelchair out of your room and through the hospital corridors. The blinding lights of the place were starting to give you a headache, and you covered your eyes, wishing that those lights would just go out.

They didn’t have to be that bright, damn it!

Vivi placed something on your face, and you flinched, only to realize that they were sunglasses. You glanced up at her, finding her looking at you with a frown that felt so sad.

“I’m sorry (N/N),” she whispered. “I should’ve given those to you before we left.”

Dumbfounded, you could only shake your head as your friend continued to wheel you down the corridor until you both arrived at a door.

Your heart began to beat faster. Oh god, Arthur was in that room.

Please, don’t let it be true. Please…

Vivi knocked twice before she opened the door and wheeled you inside, closing the door behind her. However, your eyes were locked on the frail figure in the bed.

No…

Oh god...**NO!**

Why was Arthur there? Where was his arm?!

You then found yourself looking at a familiar dog, who was whining next to you. After a few moments of staring, tears began to fill your eyes, and you started to sob uncontrollably.

You didn’t even register Vivi’s hands resting on your shoulders as you continued to sob your lungs out.

How? How could you have let this happen? Why did this have to happen to Arthur of all people?! Why were you so weak?!

You were sobbing for so long that you barely heard the groan.

Both you and Vivi snapped your head in Arthur’s direction, finding the man slowly regaining consciousness. Immediately, Vivi rushed you both to his bedside, impatiently waiting as his eyes slowly started to open.

At first, he didn’t seem to understand where he was, only a bright room if how his eyes immediately closing were any indication. Then, after a couple moments, Vivi spoke.

“Artie…?” she called quietly. “Are you there? Can you hear me?”

Arthur didn’t respond at first, then he slowly opened his eyes again, blinked a few times, and looked at you and Vivi. He seemed confused.

“Vivi…? (Y/N)...?” he called weakly. “W-What happened? Where are we…?”

“You’re at the hospital Artie,” Vivi explained gently. “You almost died.”

A chill went up your spine at that, and Arthur didn’t react at first.

“Died? What do you me…” Then, Arthur saw his missing left arm, covered with a bandage to stop the flow of blood it seemed, and then his eyes went wide.

And finally came the screams.

Crying out, you covered your ears and fell out of your wheelchair, landing none too gently on the unforgiving tile floors. Your screams matched Arthur’s in almost every way, so much that you barely heard his exclamations.

_“Lewis!” _he screamed. _“Where’s Lewis?! Is he okay?! Where is he?!”_

Eventually, doctors and nurses burst into the room and restrained Arthur, while you were taken back to your room and sedated yourself.

Sleep was a welcome torture.

~~~

How…?

How could this have happened…?

Why?

Why Arthur of all people?

Why your friends?

You stared at Vivi, wondering if you heard her right, and you knew that Arthur was looking at her the same way.

“What...did you say, Vi?” asked Arthur weakly.

Vivi looked between you two before repeating herself. “Who’s Lewis?”

You felt your heart go up in your throat, and you looked at Arthur in disbelief. You immediately understood, but you couldn’t say anything, not here, not while Vivi was here.

You didn’t want to tell Arthur that you immediately understood.

A dying wish, Lewis’ dying wish was for Vivi to not see him like that, but that resulted in her forgetting him.

Why…?

This couldn’t be happening.

Why your friends? Why Arthur?

Why did this have to happen to him?

Why were you so weak?

You knew now though, you couldn’t tell Arthur the truth. He wouldn’t accept it, and Vivi would only forget if she was told. With another look at Mystery, you knew that he knew the truth also, and it seemed to pain him as much as it did you.

Why?

“Vivi, you can’t forget Lewis! You can’t have forgotten him!” Arthur yelled, voice breaking.

“Arthur, really, I don’t know anyone named Lewis!” Vivi almost yelled back, confusion and concern in her voice.

Why? Why did this have to happen?

Please, wake up, wake up. It’s just a bad dream. Just wake up.

_...wake up…_

~~~

“I can’t tell him,” Vivi announced to you one day, just after you and Arthur were discharged from the hospital, even though Arthur needed the attention more than you did.

You looked at her. “Tell him what?”

“That I love him,” Vivi replied, her voice pained. “I allowed this to happen, and now, he’s in so much pain because of me.”

You didn’t answer.

“(Y/N), please,” pleaded Vivi, her eyes filling with tears. “Tell me what I should do, please.”

You looked at her sadly. You so badly wanted to tell her the truth, but you knew it wouldn’t do any good, not for anyone. Especially for Arthur.

This was the last thing he needed after everything that happened, and you knew the worst was to come.

“I can’t say Vivi,” you said sadly. “The only one who can do that is you.”

“But I…”

“If you want to make things right Vi, try being there for Arthur,” you said gently. “He needs you still, and I know you still need him. Yes, he’s not ready to hear your confession, and I don’t know when he’ll ever be, but when the time is right, you can tell him, just not now.”

“(N/N),” began Vivi, her voice filling with dread, “what are you saying?”

“I’m saying things are only going to get worse Vi,” you said, “and we need to be prepared. I can’t tell you what it is, because I don’t know myself, but I know it’s not going to be good. Just...promise me that you’ll help me look after Arthur. He needs us more than ever.”

Vivi stared at you, her cheeks caked with tears, before she nodded. “Yes, I understand. Artie needs us more than ever now. I can’t let my stupid feelings get in the way.”

You didn’t answer that one, only continuing to stare at her sadly as she made up her mind.

You really didn’t know what the future would hold, especially for Arthur, but you knew it wasn’t good. However, you would be damned before you didn’t try to protect Arthur from what the future would throw at him.

It was all you could do for him, after you failed him, Lewis, Vivi, and Mystery.

And you were going to make it work, even if it killed you.

**Author's Note:**

> Finally! Got this done, and after nearly three months of struggling with my mental health! I hope you guys like this, but quick question, do you think I should continue this, and if so, what would you like to see in the future? Of course, I don’t know if I will continue this anytime soon, as I’m still struggling with my recovery from depression, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to get back into writing, only that it will take some time.
> 
> If you have any questions about my stories, here’s my Tumblr: https://37054ljh.tumblr.com/


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